


Data Date

by AlphaScorpiixx



Series: Hearts Shaped Like Stars [6]
Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Data Twilight Town, F/M, Fluff, hand-holding, namine is shy around strangers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-16 06:00:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29077488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlphaScorpiixx/pseuds/AlphaScorpiixx
Summary: We will meet again. And then we can talk about everything. I may not know it's you, and you may not know it's me. But we will meet again. Someday soon. I promise.-They do meet again, in a different world, and a different life.
Relationships: Data-Naminé & Data-Roxas (Kingdom Hearts), Data-Naminé/Data-Roxas (Kingdom Hearts)
Series: Hearts Shaped Like Stars [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1970083
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	Data Date

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't really intend for this to be shippy, but I really liked the title, so it kind of strayed that way. It doesn't really matter to me if you read it as a ship or not. The sad kids need some happy times.
> 
> Also I know that Data-Sora didn't have memories from real Sora's journeys, but for the purposes of this fic I'm going to say that Data-Roxas and Data-Naminé do have memories from their real-world counterparts. (Ugh, I'm already tired of sticking "data" onto their names.)
> 
> Anyway, enjoy!

“Thank you.”

With Sora’s promise fulfilled, he and Mickey departed from Castle Oblivion. The King would return to the real world, and Sora to his island. The journal’s memories were safe now, and so were the data worlds it contained. 

_ Just data . . . made to pass along a message . . . _

Naminé let the knowledge comfort her as she dematerialized. She had served her purpose. It was time for her to rest. Her surroundings faded as she imagined a quiet sea. The slow hush of the waves. A world just for her.

_ Then we’ll be at rest _ — _ her, and me too. _

Even though Sora was gone, his memories still lingered. They made a strange patchwork on the stark white walls, a mosaic of the people and places he’d welcomed into his heart. The memories faded, now returned to their owner. All but one, a final image of Sora, Riku, and Kairi laying on the sand, hands and hearts entwined. Then that memory vanished as well, leaving behind a silent, empty castle.

Almost.

A part of her still remained. She had no need to linger in a state between existence, but she couldn’t quite let go yet.

_ And now the record of me will disappear. _

A data girl in a data world. Why did she still cling to life? Something tethered her to the castle, a connection calling to her.

“Naminé.”

A familiar voice, not Sora’s, but someone—

Naminé opened her eyes. She floated in a sea of data, the current tugging at her body, threatening to sweep her away into oblivion. She would have been lost already, if not for the hand clinging to hers.

“Roxas?”

Roxas floated above her, a steady presence in the data stream. This wasn’t one of the illusions she’d shown Sora and Mickey, but the real him, or at least the version that, like her, existed within the datascape. He grabbed her other hand and pulled her upright so they were eye to eye. The current still wrapped around her legs, but it was diminished now, lessened by the feeling of Roxas’s hands in hers.

“You’re still here?” Naminé asked. “I thought you returned to Sora.”

“Part of me did, to return his missing memories. But I’m still me. What about you?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. What were you trying to do, Naminé?”

“I’m returning to the data.” Naminé looked away, unable to meet his eyes. “Somewhere to sleep. It’s where I belong.”

“You don’t believe that.” His voice wasn’t angry, but it carried a hardness to it that made her glance back up. His hood was down, and his hair floated in waves around his face. His brow was furrowed with concern.

Roxas was a fighter. He pushed back against destiny. Really, Naminé wasn’t surprised he’d held onto himself. 

“I don’t have anywhere else to go,” she said.

Roxas squeezed her hands, and she felt their warmth even through his gloves. “Come with me, then. There’s someplace I want to show you.” He grinned, like he had a secret to share. She couldn’t help a small smile, her curiosity stirring.

“Where?”

“A place to call home. It’s a surprise, so close your eyes.”

Home. She figured he wasn’t talking about the islands, but she did as he said. Roxas let go of one hand, and she heard the flare of a Keyblade summon. Light flooded her vision, even behind closed eyelids, as Roxas led her through the door.

*

Naminé hadn’t realized how cold Castle Oblivion was until sunlight washed over her skin. Her feet touched solid ground, though she still felt his hand holding hers.

“Okay, open your eyes.”

She had to blink against the sunlight, but when her eyes adjusted, she gasped. He’d taken her to Twilight Town. They stood at the Station Plaza, overlooking the town and sprawling hills. The eternal sunset bathed the world in red and gold. 

“But . . . this world isn’t part of the journal.”

Roxas shrugged. “No, it’s not. But a version of it still exists as data. All worlds are connected—even data ones.” He held up Oathkeeper, that sly grin returning. “You just have to have the right key.”

Naminé smiled. She looked out over the town. The ever-present sun hung low over the hills. A world stuck in time, at first glance, but clouds drifted in the sky and smoke rose from chimneys. Trains vanished into the horizon, bound for distant destinations.

Roxas tugged her hand. “Come on, I want to show you around!”

She followed him down the hill but nearly stopped short in surprise. The streets weren’t empty. People went about their daily business, like their real-world counterparts. Some even called out to Roxas. Naminé reflexively hid behind him as they walked, but at least he didn’t stop to chat to anyone. He smiled and waved back, at ease with these strangers.

Of course, they weren’t strangers to him, Naminé remembered. He’d lived here for a time, even if it wasn’t exactly this version of him. She hadn’t expected others to be present in this world.

But why wouldn’t they be? The journal’s worlds were filled with people, real enough that they might as well have hearts of their own. The data version of Sora was proof of that.

The street ended at the bottom of the hill, where the buildings opened up into a square.

“This is the Tram Commons.” Roxas made an exaggerated sweep of his arms. She giggled at the gesture, and he grinned back. 

They strolled around the commons, and Naminé marveled at the activity around her. Like it’s name suggested, a tram winded along its tracks. People browsed the shops or rested on benches. And the sun cast a soft glow on everything, creating an almost dreamlike haze.

Life still existed within this data world. It had grown beyond a mere simulation. Data or not, a heart was a heart. Like Roxas. 

And like her.

Naminé squeezed Roxas’s hand, and he returned it. This was better than a dream.

Roxas stopped at the ice cream stand and bought two sticks. Sea salt, of course, and Naminé accepted it with a raised eyebrow.

“They don’t have any other flavors?”

Roxas flushed. “Oh, I—Sorry, I can get you something else.”

Naminé laughed and nudged him with her elbow. “I was just teasing. Sea salt is fine.” 

Roxas’s shoulders sagged in relief, but he bit his lip and waited for her to taste it.

She tried a lick. Creamy sweetness overflowed in her mouth, sprinkled with a hint of salt. Her face broke into a smile.

“It’s delicious!”

“You think so?”

She nodded enthusiastically. “Mmhm.” The ice cream was soft enough to bite into, and she spoke around a mouthful.

Roxas bit into his own bar as he led her to a seating area on the roof of the central building. They sat down at a table, and Naminé watched the people from above. She liked the view from up here, in the middle of town but away from the crowds. She could see why Roxas enjoyed sitting on the clocktower.

She ate her ice cream while Roxas chatted about the many aspects of Twilight Town. He talked about the end-of-summer Struggle tournament, the best spots to skateboard, and all the hidden areas in the underground passages.

Naminé liked listening to him. He spoke with such passion about everything, she could imagine all his adventures clearly in her mind. She wished these moments lasted forever.

Soon her ice cream was gone, and Naminé went to toss the stick in the trash.

“No, wait! Don’t forget to check your ice cream stick!”

“Huh?” Naminé inspected it. Part of the wood still had a trace of blue coloring, but it was otherwise blank.

“In case it’s a Winner.” Roxas finished off the last remains of his ice cream, but the stick was as blank as hers. “Aw, doesn’t look like either of us got it.”

“What’s a Winner?”

“If you get a Winner stick, you can trade it in for an extra ice cream bar.”

“That’s a lot of ice cream for one person to eat.”

“Yeah, but I’d rather share it,” Roxas said, smiling at her.

She blushed.

“So, what do you think about Twilight Town?” he asked. He leaned back in his seat and propped his feet on the table.

Naminé licked the lingering taste of salt off her lips. “It’s lovely here.”

“Better than that castle, right?”

Her chest tightened. “Anywhere’s better than there,” she whispered. Naminé’s gaze dropped to her lap as she fidgeted with her fingers.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” he said gently.

“I know. I do like it here, really.” She didn’t want Roxas to feel guilty, but his reminder still made her think of Castle Oblivion. Although both worlds were made of data, they couldn’t be more different. Twilight Town bustled with energy, unlike the castle’s cold, stark halls.

She closed her eyes for a moment and let the wind ruffle her hair. The breeze carried traces of chimney smoke and sea salt. The gentle chatter of the people drifted up from the streets. Even her aversion to crowds couldn’t lessen her newfound love of Twilight Town’s quiet calm. She wanted to spend every moment here, until the memory of Castle Oblivion faded completely.

“Would you want to stay here?” Roxas asked, pulling her attention back.

Were her thoughts so easy to read on her face? “Yes, but . . . where, exactly?”

“You can stay at my place,” Roxas said. “Well—I mean if you want to, that is. There’s an extra room.” The tips of his ears flushed red.

Naminé smiled. His awkward earnesty made her heart flutter. “I’d like that. It’s close by, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it’s over that way.” Roxas pointed to the west, past the accessory shop. He squinted and scanned the buildings. “You can’t quite see it from here, though. But I can show it to you. It’s a short walk.”

“Okay. I’d like that.” 

Roxas offered his hand to her again. Her fingers wrapped around his, and she wished he’d take his gloves off.

They left the Tram Commons through the south exit and turned east. The walk to Roxas’s house was short, as he’d said, but long enough for her to gaze around at the side streets. It was almost claustrophobic between the tight alleys and buildings looming overhead, but the sky was always visible whenever she looked up.

They stopped in front of a two-story house. The outside was painted yellow, with some brickwork exposed. A drainpipe ran up the side. It was a nice house, Naminé thought, close to both the commons and the station.

Roxas pointed to the upper-floor window. “There’s my room. It’s got a pretty nice view of the sunset.” He started toward the entrance, then paused. “You know, I don’t even know if it exists in the other Twilight Town.”

“Are you going to go inside?” Naminé asked.

A flicker of hesitation crossed his face, before returning to his easy grin. “Maybe later. Hey, is there any part of town you want to see?”

“Oh.” Naminé thought for a moment. Where did she want to go? She had memories of visiting Twilight Town, but never long enough to enjoy the sights. It was a beautiful world, with so many places to explore. “Actually, I’ve always wanted to ride one of the trains.”

“The trains, huh?” Roxas held out his hand for her again. “The station’s just back up the hill. Let’s go!”

Despite her earlier shyness, his enthusiasm was infectious, and they ran side by side through the streets. They crested the hill and returned to Station Plaza. Naminé bent over to catch her breath. 

“How do you manage that climb every day?” she huffed.

Roxas offered his hand. “You just get used to it.” He gave her a moment to rest, then they entered the station.

“No charge?” she asked as they walked past the ticket counter.

“Tickets to Sunset Station are free. Also, I’m all out of munny.”

“You mean you spent it all on the ice cream?” Naminé teased.

“Hey, I spent it on the important stuff!” Roxas grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. “Which, yeah, is ice cream.”

Naminé smiled and couldn’t contain her amusement. Roxas’s grin broadened, and the station echoed with their laughter. A few of the other townsfolk glanced their way, but Roxas ignored them as he led her to the train.

“All aboard,” he said and held out a hand to help her inside. The train carriage was already occupied, but not crowded, although Naminé still shrank away from their gazes.

The door slid shut, and Roxas guided her to an unoccupied bench. He laid a hand on her shoulder, and her body relaxed. Strangers made her uncomfortable. What was she supposed to do if someone tried to talk to her? But their attention didn’t linger, and heads turned back to their personal activities.

The train pulled away, but she barely felt a lurch. The ride was smooth, punctuated by the  _ click clack _ along the rail. Naminé’s eyes were drawn to the window. She stood up to get a better view. Buildings raced past, but the distant hills remained steady in her sight. Her wide eyes drank in every sight.

She was almost disappointed when the train finally pulled into the station. Roxas held her hand again and waited for the other passengers to disembark.

“Welcome to Sunset Terrace,” he said as they stepped onto the platform. “Did you enjoy the ride?”

“I loved it! Can we do it again?”

Roxas laughed at her eagerness. “We’ll take another ride to get back to town, but don’t you want to look around first?”

Naminé made a show of thinking about it. “Hmm, I guess we can do that. If you insist.”

Roxas grinned, and Naminé giggled.

They wandered around the area, and Naminé gazed around at the smaller houses. She liked them better than the taller buildings in the town proper. They weren’t as packed together and revealed more sky.

They rested at the bench at the top of Sunset Hill. Roxas leaned back with his hands clasped behind his head, and Naminé watched the trains pass under the hill. Maybe one day they could take a farther ride and see the town’s outskirts. This world was bigger than she’d realized. She wondered what lay past the mountain beyond the clocktower.

“It’s much quieter than the rest of the town.” Naminé said. “I like it here.”

“Yeah, me too. It’s one of our favorite places to come.”

“Our?” Naminé asked. “Oh, I remember. You have friends here, don’t you?”

“Yeah . . .” Roxas’s voice trailed off, and Naminé glanced over at him. He stared absently at the town.

She nudged his arm.“If they’re here, you should go see them.”

Roxas eyed the time displayed on the clocktower replica. “It’s getting late. We can see them tomorrow.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean . . .”

“What?” Roxas sat up. “Don’t you want to come?”

“I, uh . . .” Naminé wasn’t sure how to voice her hesitation. She shrugged, apologetic.

“Naminé, you know you’re my friend, too, right?”

“I know, it’s just . . . If you want to see them, you shouldn’t leave them waiting.”

“I can see them any time. And I want to introduce you, too. But it doesn’t have to be now. Today is for you and me.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to stop you.”

“You aren’t. Naminé, look.” Roxas took her hand and stood up. He swept his arm out over the town. “This town—this whole world—is at peace. There’s no one here who can hurt us. No Heartless, no Organization. Our lives are our own. We can spend our time doing whatever we want. I want you to meet my other friends, but I don’t want to force you. You can take your time.”

“You mean it?”

Roxas smiled in that bright, easy way of his. “Like I said, today is for you and me.”

As she gazed out over the horizon, Naminé realized he was right. There were no threats in the datascape anymore. She could do whatever she wanted. She did want to meet his friends someday, even if she wasn’t ready right now.

The clocktower bells rang out, faintly audible even from all the way out at Sunset Hill. Beside the bench, the clocktower replica chimed.

“You want to head back now?”

“Another minute?” Naminé asked.

“For sure!”

Roxas settled back down beside her on the bench. Naminé leaned her head against his shoulder. She’d found a world for herself after all. This was right where she wanted to be.

**Author's Note:**

> If Data-Roxas and Data-Naminé are never going to appear again, then they should at least have a happy ending. No ambiguous "did they return to their original selves or not?" endings. They are living in the virtual Twilight Town and no one can tell me otherwise.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
